Sparks: Hello Young Lovers - Live Review

Sparks: Hello Young Lovers, Live at the Carling Academy, Islington, London. 11th June 2008.

Before I start this review, I'd just like to say a big thank you to photographer extraordinaire Tony Bartolo. Believe it or not, Tony was the only press photographer to cover every night of 21x21 - ensuring this historic event was preserved. He has kindly allowed me to use some of his stunning photos for this review, and also for my previous Propaganda review. More about Tony and his photos in the links section at the end of this article.


Back in 2002, Sparks fans were looking forward to Ron and Russell's first album of the 21st Century… but with the best will in the world, I doubt many expected the masterpiece that was Lil’ Beethoven. The creativity of the Mael brothers never ceases to impress, but this album broke yet more new territory, and took them to an even higher level. Critics and fans alike put this, their 19th album, as their best yet. So, after more than 30 years in the business, Sparks had finally reached their peak right? Well no actually, because album number 20, 2006’s Hello Young Lovers, topped it!

I can't tell you how much I love this album, but suffice to say, eight and a half years into the 2000’s, it’s still looking like I'll have the easiest choice ever for my 'album of the decade' award. It’s just about as perfect an album as I think I'll ever find - this multilayered gem has so much in it, that it is almost impossible to 'get it' within the first few plays. This is no background music -- it's a complex album that demands your full attention for the full duration. The phrase "blown away" is severely overused (I actually heard someone at work last week claiming they had been "blown away with the new Coldplay album", now come on, is that really very likely?!), but I genuinely was with this album (and still am). I'd never heard anything quite like it and just couldn't stop playing it, even now it's impossible to just play once.

For me, Hello Young Lovers sums Sparks up perfectly – it’s intelligent, arty, funny and experimental. It's classical music and its rock, it opera, pop and it’s dance… quite often all at the same time! So here I am, waiting to see if they can possibly improve on this album, live. The stakes were high, could this gig possibly live up to all my expectations?

Ron and Russell enter to tremendous applause for this, their final night at the venue that has become their home in the last month or so. The stage is set up radically different to my last visit, due mainly to the inclusion of the jumbo video screen sitting on the stage – an addition which has become a regular feature to accompany the live shows for the more recent Sparks albums. As a consequence, the rest of the band are squeezed either side of the screen, and they perform behind a black mesh.

Straight away we're into the opening song, Dick Around. I've sung the praises of this track before, but suffice to say, live, this fabulously OTT opener is more intense than ever. The supporting band either side of the video screen are plunged into darkness, each member lit only by a single spotlight from the floor. As the band are rather cramped for room, by necessity they are all standing at different levels, and the result is very Bohemian Rhapsody looking -- which may well be deliberate... Dick Around has the feel of a 21st Century This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us, and many believe that song was a big influence on Queen when writing Bohemian Rhapsody.

Perfume sounds fresher than ever, and it’s already clear that tonight is going to be no disappointment. By the time we reach track three, The Very Next Fight, the jumbo screen has come into its own, and 'real life' Ron is taking on a 'digital' Ron for a no holds barred fight. The timing of each punch thrown is perfect, finishing with a sucker punch from live Ron that sends his 2D counterpart flying off screen! The Very Next Fight also gives the crowd their first real chance to join in, as they ‘help’ Russell out with the repetitive “open displays of affection” line!

Anti-war song (Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country? is next…. Y’know, it’s a natural temptation for people to write off older artists -- as either 'past it' or living on their past, but watching Russell completely commanding the stage, as he marches up and down (accompanied by an on screen army of military Maels!), you realise he is still one of the best front men in the business. Ron straps on a Vintage electric for Rock, Rock, Rock, where he become guitar hero (for one track anyway) and cranks out a deafening heavy metal strum that would have Velvet Revolver heading for cover…indeed the on-screen stack of cartoon speakers are wobbling and bulging like something out of Tom and Jerry with every attack of the strings!

There have been some grumblings about the sound quality at some of these shows, but as the gorgeous piano sound kicks in on Metaphor, I suddenly realise that tonight, the sound (and just about everything else too!) is just perfect. Ron takes another trip to the screen to catch, and then discard, the falling words that drop as Russell sings them… “a diamond ring”, “the first day of summer”… The crowd have been very interactive throughout, but Metaphor is a fun song with lyrics just aching for a bit of audience participation, and it’s great to hear them take full advantage…

Russell: Whose up for a metaphor?
Crowd: We're up for a metaphor!
Russell: Are you chicks up for a metaphor?
Crowd: Yes, we're up for a metaphor!
Russell: Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't mix them
Crowd: We, we, we won't mix them!
Russell: Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't mix them
Crowd: We wouldn't dream of mixing ‘em!

Waterproof is as good a ballad as Sparks have ever written, and although it’s impossible for me to pick a favourite track, this would have to be a contender. I go all goose-pimple-ly for the entire song, as Russell gives a note-perfect performance. 20 nights in, and his voice is holding up wonderfully. The video screen provides Russell with the perfect set of backing singers for Here Kitty Kitty… four felines in their best suits!

There's No Such Thing As Aliens is hauntingly stunning, and the two creepy figures with the big hands directly behind Russell add to the eerie feel of this song. The show has flown by, and incredibly it’s already the final track, the frantic madness that is As I Sit To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral. Complete with maniacal church organ and the scariest hallelujah chorus you're ever likely to hear! At one point, Ron takes to playing a cartoon organ on the jumbo screen! It looks incredible, and makes yellow submarine look quite sensible in comparison!

The applause at the end of this performance goes on longer than I think I've ever witnessed at any gig – it must be close on ten full minutes. The band look almost embarrassed as they stand there with no signs of it stopping. There is genuine emotion on display, as all the band members hug each other as though they’d just completed a marathon (which in musical terms, over the last 4 weeks they have!). Although there is one more night of 21x21 to come (the very first performance of their brand-new album at Shepherd's Bush in two days time), there is a feel of completion tonight. These first 20 nights were the past, from now on it’s the future.

The encore tonight, unlike most of the previous nights, has nothing to do with the album performed. Profile, is one of their best ever b-sides (the flip of 1975’s Get In The Swing), and the crowd go crazy for it!

An incredible night, which leaves me completely stunned… yet the cherry for tonight's cake was still to be served. A fortuitous ‘bump’ into a friend of a friend, means I end up in the after show party, and within minutes, I’m standing 2 feet away from Ron and Russell. Surely no better opportunity to finally meet my heroes? Well, no, not really. They are happily winding down after the performance, and it's not really that kind of environment. Over in the corner we spot ex-Sparks bass player Ian Hampton, seconds later Ron and Russell spot him to. It's obviously been a long-time and there are genuine shows of affection all round as the three are reunited. It's my last memory of the evening, and what an appropriate one. This whole mammoth feat -- performing 21 albums in 21 nights -- was all about reacquainting ourselves with old friends, both musical and human…job well and truly done.


SPARKS RELATED LINKS:

Tony Bartolo is the only photographer in the world who took profesional photos every night of the whole 21x21 event. He has some very exciting projects under way, and you will soon be able to purchase some of his incredible work from the Sparks Spectacular. Be sure to keep watching his website - Snazmusic - for full details. Tony currently has a competition running to win a signed Sparks album cover... so be sure to check his site out here

See my review of the Propaganda show here complete with more exclusive photos from Tony Bartolo.

Download or listen to the full 22 minute interview that Sparks gave Simon Mayo to promote 21x21 here

See my Introducing Sparks article here, containing exclusive comments from Ron and Russell Mael!

My exclusive interview with ex-Sparks member Martin Gordon is here and here

My interview with indie popsters Silvery is here, and there's plenty of Sparks related chat!

Visit the official Sparks websitee here

Visit the official Sparks MySpace Page here


Piley

Sparks - The Simon Mayo Interview

Last week, Sparks gave a 22 minute interview to Simon Mayo on Radio 5, to promote their new album "Exotic Creatures of the Deep", and their 21x21 shows in London. I know a lot of people have been searching for it, and it's now gone from the 'listen again' feature. I managed to get an MP3 of it at the time, so for a limited time only, here is the full interview:



And while you're enjoying the interview, why not have a read of my reviews of the recent 21x21 shows. The Propaganda review is here, and the Hello Young Lovers review is here.

Piley

Sparks: Propaganda - Live Review

Sparks: Propaganda, Live at the Carling Academy, Islington, 20th May 2008.

Many thanks to photographer Tony Bartolo for allowing me to use some of his stunning photos for this review, and also for my Hello young Lovers review. More about Tony and his photos in the links section at the end of this article.


You've got to take your hats off to em.. no matter if you're a fan or not, the idea that Sparks came up with this year was simply astonishing…

They formed back in the late 60s as Halfnelson, and since then have put out 20 albums -- and just about every one of them is great too, in fact album number 20 (‘Hello Young Lovers’) is possibly my favourite album of theirs to date. Album 21 ‘Exotic Creatures of the Night’ was released on Monday, and to celebrate its arrival, Sparks announced a 21 night residency in London… yup you guessed it, all 21 albums, in order!

I know the 'album concert' is not a particularly new concept, but I can't think of anyone who’s taken it to such mammoth proportions as this. I can't even begin to imagine the logistical nightmare of attempting it -- I mean, with encores you're looking at over 250 tracks to rehearse. A feat even for the Mael brothers, but spare a thought for the brave backing band signed up for these shows, learning the lot from scratch!

When these shows were announced a few months back, I felt like a kid in a sweet shop as I looked longingly at the dates (and the lure of the 'Charlie and the chocolate factory’-esqe Golden Ticket, was truly tempting), but alas, I could only stretch to a couple of gobstoppers, so had to choose very carefully. Tonight was the first of my picks, Propaganda, and I was obviously in good company, as this was one of the first nights to sell out. I've been a fan of Sparks for about 30 years, and this album is the one I've come back to the most during that time – every single track is perfection, the production is fantastic, and it still sounds fresh as a daisy.

Ron and Russell Mael took to the stage just after 9 p.m., accompanied by a very young looking set of backing musicians… all sporting a uniform of black, topped off with a propaganda album cover T-shirt. We start off with the 30 seconds of acappella that is the title track 'Propaganda', which seamlessly blasts into 'At Home At Work At Play'… and we’re off! The first thing that hits you is just how energetic front man Russell remains, as he spins, swirls and treads every inch of the stage. What really pleases me is that it soon becomes apparent that this show is going to be a faithful reproduction of the album. I remember seeing Alice Cooper live in the 80s, ‘Schools Out’ was 15 minutes long, ‘Elected’ was 20 minutes long, the songs were no longer the tunes I knew, and it ruined it. But tonight, all the tracks are reassuringly familiar. There's maybe a slightly rockier feel to the guitar sound -- almost as though Slash had joined Sparks for the night! But other than that, it’s a time machine back to 1974.

I've been listening to this album for the vast majority of my life, yet tonight I see a different aspect to it, that I've never seen (or at least appreciated) before. I've never particularly considered it an anthemic album, yet tonight, hearing the crowd chant along with just about every track, I suddenly realised this is perfect pop, that lends itself beautifully to audience participation! We rattle through the album, and during the penultimate track 'Who Don't Like Kids', Ron Mael, who has kept his trademark stony face throughout, can contain himself no longer! And he takes centre stage to display the ‘Ron Rumba’, complete with fixed cheesy grin! He stops as suddenly as he began, looks all sheepish and then apologises profusely to the audience “it’ll never happen again" he promises… (well not till tomorrow night at least!). This is a great example of the humour of Sparks -- speak to the casual music fan, and they’ll describe Sparks as morose or painfully serious, yet they couldn't be more wrong. Read their lyrics, see them live, hear them interviewed, these are very funny guys!

'Bon Voyage' was always an appropriate track to finish the album, but it seems even more appropriate to finish the gig with, and the sea of waving and swaying arms make it the ideal curtain closer. After much persuasion, they reappear for an encore of ‘Lost and Found’ - b-side of ‘Amateur Hour’ and strictly speaking, more appropriate to last nights show!, but it’s a cracking song and nobody seems to be complaining!

All in all a great night, I’m not sure the sound was quite all it could have been – it was shocking in some parts of the room as I wandered round for a better view – but you couldn’t fault Ron and Russell, who put in as good a performance as I’ve ever seen them give… as Russell said this evening “only 17 left”!

Here's an audience video of that encore 'Lost and Found':



SPARKS RELATED LINKS:

Tony Bartolo is the only photographer in the world who took profesional photos of the whole 21x21 event. He has some very exciting projects under way, and you will soon be able to purchase some of his incredible work from the Sparks Spectacular. Be sure to keep watching his website - Snazmusic - for full details. Tony currently has a competition running to win a signed Sparks album cover... so be sure to check his site out here

If you enjoyed this review, why not check out my review of the Hello Young Lovers show here.

See my Introducing Sparks article here, containing exclusive comments from Ron and Russell Mael!

While you're here, don't miss my EXCLUSIVE, extensive interview with ex-Sparks member Martin Gordon, and he had plenty of interesting Sparks stories to tell! Part 1 is here and part 2 is here

See my interview with upcoming indie popsters Silvery here, where we had a long chat about all manner of Sparks related things!

To celebrate these shows and the new album, fellow Sparks fan Klitzfrug has put a fantastic 'goodie bag' of rare Sparks albums to download on his blog - no less than TEN albums in fact! Get over to his blog fetusveneris now, they won't be there forever! link to fetusveneris here

Piley

Exclusive Martin Gordon Interview - Part 2

The final part of my exclusive interview with Martin Gordon is below.
If you missed Part one, you can view it here


In the 70s, being in the charts was a really big deal -- I don't think it is anymore -- how much difference did it make when you had a hit single?

Well, I discovered you can get people to go to bed with you much easier if you have a record in the charts.

You’ve had a few connections with Marc Bolan in your career, both direct and indirect. You worked extensively with Andy and Chris (who both worked with Bolan in John's Children), and the Radio Stars even appeared on Marc’s TV show, what was he like? Did you ever get a glimpse of him outside of his ‘larger than life’ character?

It was just post fat-period when we were on his show. He was kind of jolly and bouncy and I remember him being very nice, very articulate, but then if you're hosting a TV show that’s called by your name, I guess you can afford to be very gracious. Whether that was the real Marc I met or not I don't know, but he was very nice.

You can watch that Radio Stars performance on Marc Bolan's TV show here:



After you split with the Radio Stars, you went to Paris to work as a producer for Barclay Records. The story goes that the Rolling Stones were rehearsing/recording nearby so you wandered along to try and blag some free booze!!

Well. the guitarist from the band I was producing knew somebody on the Stones road crew, and we wandered along to see what might develop.

Well, the God of music must have been on your side, because your visit coincided with Bill Wyman doing a 'no show' and you got an instant promotion from freeloader to Rolling Stones bass player!

Well, not instant, no. There was a series of rooms that you had to go through -- something like an imperial court. You had the outer ring with the ‘hoi polloi’ and then once you were accepted there you moved one ring in, and slowly over the course of the evening, amazingly, we ended up sitting in the studio with the guys and they were moaning… and by that time of course I was rather buoyant and I said "you haven't got a bass player? I'm your man!". So Jagger showed me these chords and I remember sitting down and he said "it goes like this, got it?" And all of a sudden I'm playing bass for them.

How long did it last? Was it just for that day?

No, it was a few days. Amazingly, they asked me if I would go back, so I did. I remember at one point, listening to a Ronnie Wood solo from inside the control room, with Wood on one side of me and Jagger on the other. Jagger turned to me and said "what do you think of that?". In earlier times I might have been a little less diplomatic, but I said "Oh, it was great, great, fantastic".

Can you remember what songs you played with them?

No, there's a Stones web site which lists all the tunes they’ve ever recorded, day by day, location, engineer, additional overdubs etc and it appears on that.

But nothing you recorded with them ever got released I assume?

Not as far as I know. Apparently they have this thing of recording hours and hours of stuff and then they might go back and use something from two years ago and rework it into something else. So I don’t know, but I certainly don't recognise anything.

And what did Bill make of it?!

Oh, we never met.

When you came back from Paris, you started Blue Meanies. But there was only one release, a single 'Pop Sensibility'. How come it was also brief?

Well, it was more for pleasure really. We didn't really have a concept, it was just a thing that happened. But it could have been quite good, some of the tunes we did as Blue Meanies ended up on my first solo album and everybody said they were great, so we must have had something. If anybody had had the foresight to allow us to develop for a year or so, it might have been quite good.
Recently there's been an i-Tunes only release of 20 odd Blue Meanies tracks. What's the story with this material? Was it recorded for an unreleased album?

It's all mostly demos. High-quality ones, that ultimately would have gone to make up an album.

In recent years you've worked with some big artists as a musician and producer.. Blur, Primal Scream, even Kylie Minogue.

Yeah, different things with different people. For Blur it was as a keyboard player, for Primal Scream it was as remixer, for Kylie I was mimer of cheeseboards and hoister of Kylie onto a piano at the NME awards. It was a grand piano and I had to lift her up onto it, and then she crawled towards me as I was playing. She was wearing this red bustier thing, very low-cut too, it was a good job I was only miming really…

You can see Martin trying admirably to keep his eyes on the keyboard here!



You now live in Germany, what made you choose that location?

Sausages! I love sausages, and Germany is the home of the sausage, it could be wurst…

Do you see yourself ever returning to the UK?

No, I have a small boy, he is a Berliner, he speaks German.

What do you think of the UK now when you come back to visit?

It's nice to visit, but I couldn't bear to live here anymore -- it's so incredibly expensive. But it's multi-cultural, Germany isn't, it is absolutely mono-cultural. There are at least a lot of possibilities here, and while it may not be working very well, it's working better than it is in Germany. There you have houses being burned down, East German right-wing fascists killing people in the streets and chasing Indians.

Bizarrely, it wasn't until the turn of the 21st century that you finally got round to starting a solo career! How come it took so long?

I didn't want to rush it! Didn't want to overdo it. Well, really the reason is singing. It's always a problem finding a singer, and it wasn't until I found Pelle Almgren that the solo work took shape. Pelle was a Jet fan, he sent me an e-mail -- he told me he was a songwriter, he didn't tell me he was a singer. So we met up in Stockholm, and we wrote some songs, and then he said "okay, shall I sing them now?" And I said "Oh, you can sing as well?". And he just had this incredible voice, and I thought “fuck”. Instantly I started thinking about the stuff I’d been designing for my solo album and I said "I'll come back in three months, with a pile of songs. Book a studio!", and he said "oh yeah, great".

You've done four solo albums to date -- all part of the Mammal Trilogy (!). Intelligent, catchy guitar pop. I hear so many different things in your solo work, and there's definitely a nod to English musical hall in there. Blur dabbled with that sound a lot around the time of Modern Life Is Rubbish….

Yeah, music hall is a common source, I think. I researched it, bought lots of CDs and it's great. Actually it’s not too far away from what I do -- populist music that you can listen to and sing along with even if you don't quite 'get' it.

Ever been to Wilton's music hall?

I used to live round the corner from there. I went to a party there once, but I've never seen a performance. I have a notion to do a modern Gilbert and Sullivan piece, and I keep saying that Wilton’s would be the ideal place to do it. In fact, tonight we are doing what could be the germ of that idea.

You have included some well-chosen cover versions on your solo albums, putting your own stamp on them in the process. How do you go about choosing the right cover, are they songs you feel would suit the album or just songs you like?

I think it has to be a song that I like, but also a song that will do the job, showing what you do in the context of a familiar piece of music. There are certainly songs that I like that wouldn't be suitable covers. I've tried covers that haven't been finished because they didn't work.

Any future covers lined up?

Well, every album will have some, but I haven't decided yet. At one point, I was trying ‘Tiny Demons’ by Todd Rundgren, and I think I might revisit that.

So you're working on the fifth part of the trilogy then?!

Yes, I’ve just started it. Trying lots and lots of things, and throwing half of them away. I think the more you can throw away the better -- for the last album I had about 25 tunes, so I'm beginning that whole process again, it will go on for some time.

Finally, a quick fire round… Had you ever considered writing an autobiography?

Check the website.

Proudest moment of your career?

Making my solo debut in Boston last August. Outside the venue was "Martin Gordon", and somebody had climbed up on top, and in chalk had written "(!!!)", which I thought was very ambiguous. But then I thought, fuck, it's me, finally!

Lowest point of your career?

Probably being fired from Sparks actually. It was 4 o’clock in the morning, I’d come home from celebrating my new-found celebrity, and was phoned up by some minion, that late: "Hello Martin, how are you? Oh good. You're not in the group anymore, anyway goodbye". That abruptly, it was quite shocking, really.

What's your most rock 'n' roll moment?

I don't really do rock ‘n’ roll moments. We were talking about this the other day. Steve the drummer has come over from Boston, and I think he was expecting us all to be like members of Aerosmith or that kind of thing. And we're all well-brought up middle-class English people, we don't really do rock ‘n’ roll moments. Chris Townson and I once pulled up a flower bed when we were pissed, and we got arrested and locked up in Bow Street, and had to appear in front of a magistrate… not very rock ‘n’ roll though, is it?

Who do you admire in music?

Todd Rundgren -- Todd is God! He's very consistent, his last stuff is as good as his first, he's a real hero.

Any current bands that excite you?

Yes, Niacin. They are an American prog jazz rock trio with Billy Sheehan on bass, Dennis Chambers on drums and John Novello on keyboards.

How about Silvery?

Yes, very nice. We were going to do something together, I did some mixes for them but it didn't work out. It's a bit difficult communicating e-wise, it’s much easier if you're sitting in the same room as somebody, and we were doing everything by e-mail. But no hard feelings, they have some very nice songs, very funny, similar in a way to the stuff I'm doing -- quite poppy. I mean, there are a lot of grown-ups about, and they need pop music, let's face it.

Who would you most like to work with?

I’d love to work with Todd Rundgren, but it would be completely fruitless because he does it all himself, and he’d just tell me what to do.

What one record would you take with you to a desert island?

The Mahavishnu Orchestra live in Munich 1972. I've just recently got a soundboard recording of it. It's two hours long and I've listened to it every day for two months and I still haven't tired of it.


So there you have it, the final piece of the interview, and that brings to a close what has fast become 'Martin Gordon March'! Once again, Many thanks Martin for your time earlier this month, it was much appreciated.

Piley

LINKS:

The Official Martin Gordon website

See the Rolling Stones 'Complete Works' database here - click on 1979 to view Martin's entry (ref: 790621A)

Exclusive Martin Gordon Interview - Part 1

Martin Gordon has packed a lot into his 30+ years in the music business. From Glam to Punk to perfect 80’s pop to an accomplished solo career, he’s done it all (see my earlier Martin Gordon review here for more info!). Linking all these together is his distinctive bass sound and an ever-present talent for writing intelligent, quirky and original songs. Add to this a brief stint as a Rolling Stone and working with the likes of Blur, Primal Scream, Boy George and George Michael and you’ve got a very full and varied career... One I've been itching to find out more about for some time!

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to meet up with Martin in London for an exclusive chat. An enormously engaging interviewee, he was happy to talk about every aspect of his career, and I found him incredibly honest and candid. It turned into quite a lengthy chat, so below is the first part of this two part interview.


First things first, what instruments do you play, and when did you start learning them?

I play bass, all manner of keyboards, and guitar fairly crudely. I started learning at around 10 or 11 years old with piano and classical guitar lessons at school. And from classical guitar I ended up playing bass, it was a direct link. I think it was piano first, that’s what I really wanted to play, but it needed to be taught differently. In those days they didn't use the Suzuki method, you didn’t learn how to play a tune, and it was very frustrating, so I moved on to classical guitar, something I could directly play.

Who were your musical influences as a child, who made you want to be a musician?

I remember being completely obsessed with all things Jack Bruce. These days I can analyse it in a way that I couldn't back then - I see him as a very accomplished singer, a very accomplished arranger and a very accomplished composer -- and incidentally a bass player too. You can't really make a career out of just being a bass player, you have to be a bass player in the context of something else… what a great role model.. The only thing he doesn't do of course is write bearable words, but you can't win ‘em all.

Do you still go back to his albums now?

Yes, it’s timeless stuff. Jack Bruce is a good example of somebody who continues to make great music. If I get bored, I rediscover things that used to excite me. Another good example is the Mahavishnu Orchestra. They were one of the first live concerts I ever saw, back in 1972, and their first album [The Inner Mounting Flame] was one of the first albums I ever bought. Recently I've found a whole load of bootleg recordings of them that you can download. On that first album the songs were about five minutes long, these are expanded to 25 minutes live! It’s just so exciting. Over 30 years on, nothing has replaced it.

Your first band is always listed as Sparks, but were there any bands before that?

No, there was a school band, then there was one band which never played any gigs, so Sparks were my first proper band.

Sparks had just relocated to England at that time, and you answered an ad in Melody Maker looking for a "beard free bass player". Had you heard of Sparks at that point?

I'd seen them on the Old Grey Whistle Test about two weeks beforehand… and I didn't like them very much. But then I also didn't like the ethic of the Old Grey Whistle Test either, and Bob Harris was rather irritated by this group, so I thought okay, maybe they're not quite as terrible as I think they are. But actually I didn't really care too much, because I was just keen to do something.

Do you remember your audition for Sparks?

Yes, it wasn't a musical audition, it was a spoken one. The brothers were there and it was a personable, social audition at John Hewlett's house in Croydon. It was quite sensible really, to see if we could bear each other as people.

So they didn't ask you to play?

No, we just chatted and I didn't hear for some months and eventually I had a phone call saying "let's do it again" And I said "shall I bring the bass this time?" And they said "erm, oh yes, good idea". So I brought the bass along and we rehearsed at Barnet rugby club. I played Girls from Germany and some other songs that had the word girls in the title. I remember thinking "they have to broaden their subject material".

The fortunes of Sparks changed rapidly after you joined….

I'm glad you noticed that..

…a massively successful album [Kimono My House] and the hit singles that came from it [This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us & Amateur Hour]. It was a radically different sound for this third album compared to previous two, how much of an input did you have in this change of style?

Well, the main difference was they now had a bunch of people who could play, and who had been playing for some time. Various people say that I made a big contribution to things like arrangements, but to be honest, a lot of it was about tension, musical tension. There was Adrian, who hated all this glam, fey, limp wristed stuff, and wanted to make it tougher, and then you had this 'twinky' tendency going on in the other corner of the room. And it was actually all these tensions that produced something quite good. I came from the prog world, so I was another piece of the jigsaw, but I had communication skills, where as they would just do something and there it was and it wasn’t integrated necessarily, they wouldn't try and bend anything else around it.

It was quite an arty thing wasn’t it, where as a lot of the glam rock thing was very one-dimensional. Roxy were very arty to…

Yes, it had 'art concepts' behind it. To me when I think of glam, I think of the Sweet and Gary Glitter, I don't think of Sparks. Glam rock was more about double tracked tom-toms and not much else going on.

Ultimately though a short lived affair, and you were drummed out of Sparks before the fourth album. I hear various rumours as to why, but what's the real one? Did you grow a beard?!

No, no. The final straw really was being asked to play Ian Hampton’s bass [a Fender Precision], as they decided they didn't like the sound of mine [a Rickenbacker 4001]. But obviously that was indicative of greater issues.

They also weren’t keen on looking at some of the songs you were writing at that time is that right?

Yeah, I think "weren’t keen" is a very appropriate way of describing it. John Hewlett said recently that he felt he rather fucked up as a manager at the time, because a manager should have the confidence to smack his protégé around the ears and say “stop being so stupid, you’ve got someone who is contributing here”. To quote him he says they "felt threatened", whatever that means. Not physically, although they were threatened physically by my friend Chris Townson who once punched Russell in the face over dinner. Russell was being snooty, as he often was, about Chris's band Jook. These were the days before Chris had acquired anger management skills, so he said "don't you take the piss out my band" and BAM hits Russell in the face. whereupon Russell burst into tears and ran off. ….It always makes me smile..

I always get the impression that there is bad feeling between you and the Mael brothers even now, is that the case?

Well, I made an attempt to try and clear the air about this ongoing thing about Kimono royalties. I was invited to the after show party at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in 1994, we spoke but it was like…. in Berlin they have this expression they go… [Martin pulls a blank face and waves his hand in front of it].. meaning if somebody has a wall in front of their face, you can't get words through it. So it all remains unresolved.

And what about the Sparks fans, how do you think they feel about you? are they appreciative of what you did or do you think there is a clash of loyalties there too?

I have the impression that my 'fans', for want of a better word, are not from the Sparks community. I remember there was a rather nasty personal attack on me on one Sparks message board... I think I made it worse by joining in under another name, agreeing that I was a total and utter bastard and should be shot. but still the sentiment was unpleasant. Perhaps the fact that I am not a great ‘Mole’ lover is to blame. Or the fact that I find the aforementioned story of Chris Townson hitting Russell very funny. Quite why the fans insist on using the term 'the boys' about a couple of sixty year-old men leads me to think that some of them are not really all there.

So you weren’t asked to re-joining Sparks for the upcoming Kimono My House show then?!

What being the only living member of the band you mean? It's got novelty value at least. No, no.

But if they’d asked you, would you have done it?

John Hewlett asked me this last week, I said I would just play Barbecutie, in fact, just the Barbecutie intro, then hand the bass over. So on that symbolic level… maybe.

What do you think of Sparks idea to perform all 21 of their albums over 21 nights?

It’s very good, it's inventive. It has been done before of course, Cheap Trick did it, but it's not a bad idea. I don't know how it's going to work out financially though.

I always think of Sparks 4th album, Propaganda, as Kimono My House II. Although you had gone by that time, did you have any input into the songs that eventually turned up on the outcome?

No, I think a couple of songs we recorded may have turned up on it, but I'm not sure.

Let’s move on to your next band Jet, who at the time were considered a bit of a supergroup [Martin and Peter Oxendale both ex-Sparks, Andy Ellison and Chris Townson were both ex-John’s Children - Townson of course had also been in Jook, and Davy O'List had played in the Attack, the Nice, and Roxy Music]. Personally I think they were a really underrated band, that album is a classic! I recently interviewed James from Silvery (read the full interview here) and he described it as "a slightly more ridiculous Kimono My House, a real junk shop glam classic". I think that sums it up well, and to people who are aware of it, it is almost universally described as one of the ultimate glam albums.

Well it’s that thing we were talking about earlier with Sparks, it wasn't glam as in double tracked tom-toms, it was more art glam, and in that sense, yeah it was a glam band, but then when you have people dressed up as Little Lord Fauntleroy and dinosaurs, wearing white flowing capes, it’s hard to be anything other than glam, I suppose.

The album got re-released on CD a few years back, but it disappeared almost immediately. What's happening with that?

Well BMG, who now own it, are not interested in putting it out, for some reason. I get lots of e-mails from people saying "when's it gonna come out?". If BMG knew people were asking for it, perhaps they'd have a change of heart.

Or at least just put it up on i-Tunes, where there are no real overheads

Sure, there's no costs involved whatsoever if you use that medium. It's even remastered, so it's a bit short-sighted really.

What's your favourite memory of Jet?

Chris Townson said his favourite memory of Jet was the free sandwiches in the studio. In fact, he said it was his most joyous memory, and all the other memories of Jet were appalling. My favourite memory…. well, we once played a gig to one person in Dunoon. That was quite funny, but I wouldn’t like to do it again.

You didn't think to cancel it??!

Well, it was too late. We were on a stage which had curtains, they opened them and by that time you're committed. The guy became comatose halfway through the gig though, so he couldn't actually leave -- he slid down the bar and lay on the floor… probably just as well.

Did you mix with any other glam acts at that time?

I used to bump into the Sweet at Top of the Pops…. bunch of bricklayers. And of course the Glitter people because Mike Leander was the manager of Jet as well. But no glam soirées discussing the ins and outs of the glam concept.

Ian MacLeod replaced Davy O'List on guitar, and then Jet pretty much morphed into the Radio Stars, just as the music scene was morphing from glam to punk. You didn't particularly consider yourselves as punks, but you seemed to be accepted by the scene?

Yeah, being on a punk label (Chiswick) helped too - in fact Chiswick were just old rockers rather than punks really. But anyway we adopted suitable clothing and it was a fun thing, it wasn’t some sort of alien notion that had nothing to do with us. We got very good at that time though, we were playing 250 gigs a year, so it was very slick.


Was it a help or hindrance being associated with the punk scene?

Oh, it was a help because you can be identified by outsiders. We did get spat on a lot though.

There's a story that the Radio Stars were once wrongly introduced on Top of the Pops by Dave Lee Travis…

That's right as Paul McCartney and Wings. And we collectively went into a dreadful acapella version of Mull of Kintyre. It was never broadcast of course, but we added it to our set list after that. We did it as the encore at the Lyceum, our first major headlining gig. We’d always choose two different keys, Andy would sing one part and we would play the other… it was all rather confusing. And that was our encore.

What can you tell me about the new Radio Stars live CD, Something For The Weekend?

It's a compilation, I don't think we ever played all those songs in one go. That's why the quality is pretty good, it’s selected from lots and lots of material.

The best of what's available….

Yeah, well, the least worst...


The second and final part of this interview will be published in a few days time, where amongst other things we talk about the Rolling Stones, Marc Bolan, Blue Meanie, Martins solo work and Kylie’s bustier! Don’t miss it!

LINKS:

Visit The Radio Stars official website here

The Official Martin Gordon website

Buy Martin Gordon CDs at Amazon!

Not sure if this is the same website Martin was refering to in the interview, but you can certainly download a lot of free Mahavishnu Orchestra live audios here
Jazz Fusion Free Downloads!

See my Sparks article here, containing exclusive comments from Ron and Russell Mael,

When I Interviewed James from Silvery last year, we had a long chat about all maner of things, including his love for Sparks
read the full interview with Silvery here

Piley

Silvery - Exclusive Interview!

Like their badges say, ‘I Quite Like Silvery’. I came across them in the early part of this year – when I heard the track ‘Orders’. Hearing that single track just once was all I needed to know that they were a band for me. I was genuinely excited on hearing it – it was raw, spikey and bursting full of energy, with a quirky new slant for an indie scene which has needed a kick up the arse for some time. In just over 2 minutes (2 minute 12 to be precise!) I was a convert!

My recent article on the Sparks album ‘Introducing Sparks', finished with a demo of the Silvery track ‘Horrors’, as I genuinely felt fans of Sparks would appreciate their sound. Anyway, one thing lead to another, a few e-mails went back and forth, and within a fortnight, I’m interviewing Silvery!

So many thanks to lead singer\guitarist James Orman for taking the time out to do this interview, in which we chatted about everything from Silvery past, present and future, Sparks, Debut albums, Blow Up records and the Pete Doherty\Kate Moss sex tape! Here’s how it panned out:

Looking at the current indie scene, I think Silvery have a really refreshing sound. There is certainly a bit of Sparks in there, but who else influences the bands sound?
I’d like to think we are in that seam of English eccentrics pop: Gilbert And Sullivan, XTC, Cardiacs, “Modern Life Is Rubbish”, Billy Childish, Syd Barratt, early Suede. But lyrically almost anything goes: From “The Fortean Times” and old Underground maps to The Far Side and the Victorian Diarists.

So when did you first discover Sparks and how?
It was a gradual thing really. I was into Bowie and Queen when I was about 7 or 8 and read so much about the UK music scene in the early 70’s. I invested my pocket money in some compilations tapes with names like “Glam Slam!” and “Glam Crazeee!”. They all had “This Town Ain’t Big Enough” on, which I recall already being aware of at the time. I remember being very young and they were on TV and my mum saying something along the lines of “Oh dear God they’re not still going are they?” in an affectionate way, of course. I had them written off as a one hit wonder, like so many of those other bands, and was pleasantly surprised to see them reappear in the mid 90’s with Bernard Butler playing guitar on Channel 4’s “The White Room”. The “Now That I Own The BBC” video was on TV a few times and I though that was brilliant. It was then I started finding out more about them, and was able to fill in the gaps in my understanding. My first purchase was of course “Kimono My House” and it wouldn’t be an understatement to say it totally and utterly BLEW MY MIND. I very quickly bought up everything, puzzled that I’d never started earlier.

So what is your favourite Sparks album then?
Crumbs, that a tough one. As a glib answer I’d say either “Kimono My House” or “Propaganda”, but I will always have time for “Number One In Heaven” and “Whomp That Sucker”. I lived inside the original Halfnelson demo album for ages, it fascinated me. “Lil Beethoven” was an absolute joy to see live so many times. I really really like the budget “In The Swing” compilation which was a perfect introduction.

And your 3 favourite Sparks tracks?
RIGHT THIS MINUTE, my favorite 3 Sparks songs are: the Plagiarism version “Change” (a beautiful sentiment, with a fantastic vaudeville feel), “Waterproof” (reminiscent of Glam era Sparks) and the 1973 demo version of “I Like Girls” from the Profile boxset which is as powerful as anything on the first two records. Can I have “Cigarettes And Politics” too? The best song they never released.

I recently did a piece about the ‘missing’ Sparks album ‘Introducing Sparks’, which was finally released on CD this week. It certainly is a very different album to their other 19. Reaction to it has always been a bit Marmite (‘love it’ or ‘hate it’, with nothing much in-between) What do you make of it?
“Introducing” and “Big Beat” were the last two albums I was able to find, albeit on original vinyl. Both Curates’ eggs, I think. “Introducing” has its moments, of course… “Those Mysteries”, “Occupation” and “Goofing Off” were favorites when I first had the record, but I’ll be honest, it’s not an album I listen to much. I will definitely reappraise it on the new CD though.

So will you be buying the Ron or the Russell cover??!
I’m sorry to say I’ll probably buy both. And put them side by side on my mantelpiece.

One of the things I have always loved about Sparks is their unique image. Fuck trying to compete with the pretty boy preening of all the glam bands around at that time, Ron and Russell went full on odd-ball! As a kid, I think the first thing I noted was just how scary Ron looked as he stared eerily in the camera! A maniacal cross between Hitler and Blakey from ‘On The Buses’! Every kid in the 70’s could do a Ron on ‘Top of the Pops’ impression! Then there was the opposite end of the scale with the ever animated Russell. It was compelling viewing. Take a look at this footage of Ron and Russ from 74:



That’s the Top Of The Pops clip isn’t it? The one I remember seeing as a little chap. The early deadpan delivery is the key here, I’m not too sure about the later stuff with Ron dancing etc. That said “Mickey Mouse” on Saturday Night Live is extraordinary. My favorite clip of them remains “Get In The Swing” on Top Of The Pops … Russell in little shorts and Ron dressed as a lab assistant, Absolutely brilliant.



And then there were those crazy album covers too! Some of which made you feel a little uncomfortable (Ron and Russ as a bride and groom! An angry looking Ron wearing a Russ puppet on his hand). You were never quite sure where they were coming from and what that relationship was like (which was exactly the idea of course). Do you think and edgy, odd-ball image such as the boys had back then could work these days? Or in the 21st century media friendly world, do you have to have a cool image to make it?
The major difference between Sparks album covers and those of other similar 70’s and 80’s rock band ‘comedy’ sleeves is that the Mael’s have a genuine artiness, which raises even their wacky sleeves beyond tacky to something more knowing. Like all the best bands, they are totally aware of the absurdity of being in a band… even someone as po-faced as Bowie has the ability to laugh at how ridiculous he is. We are following that kind of idea, which I have a feeling no one else is at the moment, obsessed as they all are trying to be the new Libertines or The Jam. I’d hate to think anyone thought we were trying to be cool… we’re too busy just pleasing ourselves!

So are we likely to be seeing a bound and gagged Silvery being kidnapped on the cover of the new album then??!
I think we agreed a long time ago that we’d never appear on our own sleeves! Keep a bit of mystery!

Lets talk about the new album – I hear it’s all recorded now? Where did you record it and how did it go?
We spent a week in a little place called Pinna in East London with a chap called Kev who we did some previous demos with. It was a beautiful experience creating it… there were so many songs to choose from, but we selected the ones that fit into some kind of narrative.

So it’s a concept album?
Yes… but in a very very curious way. We’re that kind of band.

And do you know who is going to be mixing it yet?
We’ve been mulling over mixers … currently we are talking to Martin Gordon.

Personally I think Martin would be an inspired choice! He will ‘get’ what Silvery are about, that excitement and energy you create live, and capture it. He must be someone you’ve always admired?
His work has brought me much joy. I’d urge everyone to track down a copy of the album by his post-Sparks band Jet. It’s basically a slightly more ridiculous Kimono My House, a real Junk Shop Glam classic. Even his most recent solo stuff has some absolute corkers on it. I always play his version of “My Gallant Crew” from The Captain Of The Pinafore when I DJ around town.

And you are signed to Blow Up records right? That’s a cool label! How did that deal come about?
I’ve liked Blow Up for a long time, since Paul’s days in The Weekenders. And when we met earlier this year we had some great chats about Sparks and Bowie. I sent Paul a CD of Silvery and he said he’d like to release our music.

Do you have a title for the album yet? When’s it due out?
I really wanted to call it “Railway Architecture” or “There May Not Be Another Time Forever” (a lyric from “Orders”), but as it’s a first record, I think everyone is happy just to call it “Silvery”. We are looking at April for the full release, which will be lovely, just as it starts to get warm again.

Any plans for a single in the near future? And if so, what format(s) is it likely to be in?
Being a great record collector I can still see the romance of vinyl singles so hopefully a couple of them before the album. And of course on Itunes. I’m not sure you need anything else these days. There are so many possible singles on the album it’s difficult to choose, although I think we’ll start with a nice new mix of “Horrors” in the new year.

So take me back to the beginning, when did Silvery form and how did you guys get together?
I'd been writing songs for a while, playing gigs with whoever was around... having a decent drunken time around London and not really achieving much, dreaming and dreaming. I met Simon the organist at Piccadilly Circus about 3 years ago and we got on immediately... so much so that I got him to join the loose ‘band’ I was in at the time and something clicked straight away. We got Alex on drums a few months later and went through a few bassists each time getting better and better. By the time Joe played his first gig with us at the start of this year we were fully formed.

I love the Silvery look, how did that come about?
It’s just a symptom of the band pleasing no one but ourselves. The sound and the look works perfectly together, it’s a great big worldview we have of this Olde London thing. I remember even NME called us the indie “Victorian Constabulary”, which I loved. We’re much less theatrical than we used to be though… I remember we’d be doing bizarre things like presenting each other medals mid song, or doing handstands instead of guitar solos. As we got more confident in the music that side got neglected, but we have kind of rediscovered it recently.

What plans for Silvery in the future? Any shows coming up?
Once the album is mixed we’re really looking forward to people hearing it. Our Christmas party at The Metro on Oxford Street on 13th December is our last gig of the year so that’s going to be a lot of fun.

Most Rock 'n' Roll moment to date?
Basically 2006 was one massive rock n roll cliché that will one day make a brilliant film. Death by Strongbow and Stella. It was like if Chris Morris had written Spinal Tap. My favorite episode was when I spent a fortnight fending off e-mails and phone calls from tabloid journalists because the Popbitch gossip website reported we had a copy of the Pete Doherty / Kate Moss sex tape. Totally insane.

What’s playing on the Silvery iPods at the moment?
I like the current Cardiacs single “Ditzy Scene” very much and am looking forward to their new album. I’ve been rediscovering David Devant & His Spirit Wife which is always nice to do, and also the Tindersticks second album, which is a record I will cherish until I die.

Apart from Silvery, who is one to watch in 2008?
Very tricky to say…. The band that I was most recently impressed with was We Are The Physics. Utter mayhem live.

Finally, have your 3 favourite Sparks tracks changed again?
Yes. I’d have “That's Not Nastassia”, “Tearing The Place Apart” and “Falling In Love With Myself Again”, which when they played the whole of Kimono My House at Morrissey’s Meltdown in 2004 was the highlight for me. Excellent arrangement.

Thanks again James for a tip-top interview!

Silvery have been kind enough to allow me to host the demo version of 'Orders', the track that started it all off for me. Enjoy!

ORDERS (demo):

And just because it's you, here is 'Horrors' again in all it's glory!

HORRORS (demo):


Silvery Links:

Link to Silvery at Blow Up Records

Link to Silvery on MySpace

Silvery play the Metro Club in London on 13th Dec 2007

Piley

Introducing Sparks... At Last!

A 30th Anniversary Review, with exclusive comments from Sparks!
Before I start this weeks post, I would just like to say a very special ‘thank you’ to Ron and Russell Mael, who although currently very busy in the studio, took the time and trouble to answer a couple of questions I had whilst writing this article. Those of you who have read my article when bands go bad, will know I am a big fan of Sparks, so receiving their reply really was very much appreciated.

Has there ever been a band that were so ground-breaking, so influential, so innovative, so consistent, so experimental, so prolific… and yet so underrated (in comparison) as Sparks? Don’t get me wrong, they have a massive and loyal fan-base, but for some reason seem to go fairly un-noticed in the ‘outside world’.

A career spanning five decades (yes really!) has seen them continually pushing the boundaries and challenging their listeners ears. How many other artists can say that? Indeed, how many artists are likely to have their 19th studio album sited as quite possibly their best to date by both critics and fans alike?! This is what happened to Sparks when they released Lil' Beethoven in 2002, more than 30 years after the release of their first album. And what an album it is too, crammed with lush layers of orchestral arrangements, choirs, some inspired lyrics and a healthy dose of wit! all mixed in with that unmistakable Sparks 'sound'. Record Collector magazine here in the UK, a well revered and respected publication, even went as far as to say "one of the best albums ever made" - praise indeed.

It took a few bands names and line-ups before brothers Ron and Russell Mael finally became Sparks (Moonbaker Abbey and Farmer's Market in the mid 60's and Urban Renewal Project in 1967), but it was as Half-Nelson (formed in 1968) that they would release their first album. Heavily influenced by the British Psychedelic sound of the late 60's, this little gem is actually very listenable, and although there is an early Floyd-John's Children-Kinks-early Quo kinda vibe going on, the fact that this is a (future) Sparks release is clear to the ear - particularly on Wonder Girl which with the right arrangement, could fit in on pretty much any of their albums. And I think this is one of the things I love most about Sparks, they have this unique way where they can hugely diversify their sound, yet be instantly recognisable, all at the same time - the Mael 'seal of approval' on every release!

It sometimes makes me grumble when Queen's 'magnum opus' Bohemian Rhapsody is ritually dragged out and put on a pedestal, with the same arguments pulled out time and time again… it's rock, it's opera, it's grand, it's over the top, it's creative writing second to none. Yet Sparks have been quietly banging out their own brand of Bohemian Rhapsody's for the best part of 40 years! Take last years Hello Young Lovers album for example, and the opening track Dick Around. A breathtaking track, and every bit as creative as This Town Ain't Big Enough (32 years its senior!). If it’s easy, background music you're after, then Sparks is not for you. Their music is complex, and demands your full attention. Right from the opening bars, Dick Around is one intense track, building and growing as it progresses over 6 haunting minutes. By the time the menacing guitar riffs start kicking in half way through, you need a cigarette to calm down (and I don’t even smoke!).

Over the last couple of years, we've been treated to quality re-releases of some of Sparks finest albums, Kimono My House (1974), Propaganda (1974), Indiscreet (1975) and Big Beat (1976), have all received '21st century edition’ releases, complete with extra tracks, interviews and booklets overflowing with information. But of the 20 albums released to date, there has always been just one album suspiciously missing from the CD set, 1977's Introducing Sparks.

At the time of release, it received mixed reviews (I wasn't old enough at the time to appreciate such subtleties!), and has always seemed to be treated like the black sheep of the family. But like a fine wine, it has matured over time, and finally after 30 years, the wayward son is coming home.

This is a unique album, wedged between the previous ‘Glam-esque’ releases (although to be fair, Big Beat was starting to head towards a more American sound), and prior to their full blown move to the Euro Electronic sound. By the mid 70’s, Sparks were pretty big all over Europe (particularly in Britain), and the band were keen to make inroads in their own backyard, so this album was to take on the US market – even the title seems geared to their prospective new audience, although knowing their wicked sense of humour, it was more likely just a piss take title for their seventh album! I asked Russell and Ron to spill the beans on how they ended up with it, they told me “We just felt it a propos to title our 7th album Introducing Sparks. Most bands don't name their 7th album 'introducing'. That's probably what appealed to us. In fact, most bands don't even have a 7th album!”.

No expense was spared for this Columbia records release. The very best session musicians of the day were brought in to perform, and although some say this made the album sound soul-less, you can’t help but appreciate the lavish quality of these recordings. I asked Sparks what their thoughts were of this album 30 years on “It's been a long time since the recording of Introducing, in both a time sense and in our sensibilities as musicians. We still have a fondness for the album, even though we've moved on musically since then” It certainly has a unique sound, there is a definite West Coast\Surfin’ kinda feel to the album (particularly ‘Over the Summer’ which just about out-surfs the Beach Boys!), mixed with that MOR sound that Alice Cooper was experimenting with around that time. But the Sparks humour is very evident throughout, and no better than in Occupation where various job options are raised and then instantly dismissed by Russell:

We athletes run around and round,

We moan and groan and hit the ground,

And when we get to 35,

We sell cosmetics and survive

We salesmen can sell a storm,

We sell you blankets when you’re warm,

And if you’re really really warm,

We’ll sell you two, we’ve got that charm!

Whilst there is no doubt that the songs on Introducing Sparks have a very different sound to anything that came before or after, lyrically (as the above lines show), they could fit just about anywhere in their vast back catalogue. For years, I’ve always been interested to know if these songs were all written especially for the album, or if any were unused tracks from earlier in their career. But Ron and Russell confirmed to me that “All the songs were written especially for Introducing”. This was a bit of a surprise to me, as I can almost hear a Kimono\Propaganda style version of Occupation in my head! But when I asked the boys which song from Introducing Sparks they would most like to re-record today, Occupation wasn’t mentioned, “Those Mysteries could fit into a contemporary context and sound great re-recorded today”. Finally, I asked if in hindsight, they had learnt anything from the making of Introducing Sparks, the reply was short and sweet “The only thing we learned from the experience is, don't trust session musicians!”

At the time, this release didn’t trouble the charts on either side of the Atlantic, but once again, perhaps the boys were ahead of their time. Look how cool Brian Wilson is again these days! Introducing Sparks is Ron and Russell’s very own ‘Smile’! Buy it, enjoy a piece of history, and marvel at just how unique this Sparks ‘missing link’ is.

INTRODUCING SPARKS IS RELEASED ON 5TH NOVEMBER (and you can even pick a 'Ron' or 'Russell' cover!)

EXTRAS:

If you’re a Sparks fan, then you may be interested in a great new band I recently discovered. They are called Silvery, and are certainly very influenced by Ron and Russell! They have just finished recording their debut album, and are currently looking at offers to mix it (one of which could be Kimono My House legend, Martin Gordon!)

Have a listen to this demo of the track Horrors and see what I mean:

Silvery are signed to Blow Up records: Link to Silvery at Blow Up

While you're here, why not have a read of my reviews of the recent 21x21 shows. The Propaganda review is here, and the Hello Young Lovers review is here

Also, don't miss my EXCLUSIVE, extensive interview with ex-Sparks member Martin Gordon, and he had plenty of interesting Sparks stories to tell! part 1 is here and part 2 is here

Want more Sparks? Check out the 'Graphik Designs' Fan Page, quite possibly the most detailed Sparks site on the web Sparks Pages

Below is the video for the shortened version of Dick Around by Sparks: